338 platinum power belts.

[Fridaythe13th]

I found some 338 platinum power belt 50 cal. on sale, they are the silver bullets with the black tips. Would they be good for elk. We got drawn for muzzleloader in colorado and it is a bull only zone. I shot the CVA Kodiak, I think that's the name, with blackhorn powder and federal 209 primers. Pro's and con's

[saddlesore]

There are lot of threads here and else where on the pros and cons of PB's. I don't use the Platnums, but they will work.I have, in my 50 cal, used 295gr, HP's and Aerotips and 348 gr HP's and Aerotips. Until two seasons ago, I only used black powder.Getting an inline, I switched to BH209. I find all the PB's I have shot produced very good accuracy an dead elk.

Reading all the charts etc, it says BP and 209 should yield the approximate same velocity per volume load, maybe little more with the 209. Shooting either weight bullet with 90 grains ( by volume) BP, I had no problems. Switching to 209, it look like I was driving them too fast, because recovered bullets were flat pancakes in both deer and elk. This suggest that 90gr is too much and this is the consenous(sp) of quite few ML hunters.This season, I am dropping down to 80 grains of 209 ( by volume) and using the 348 gr Aerotip.

Two things to note. The Aerotip, and I suspect the Platnum, is the same configuration as the Hollow Point. Remove the plastic tip and you have the same Hollow Point..I have found no difference in accuracy potential of either.

On the advice of one long time PB shooter , I have added one thing. Removing the plastic tip, I inserted a 17 caliber pellet for an air rifle into the hollow point. Squeeze the skirt down a smidge on the pellet and press the pellet( skirt first down in the HP). This should limit over expansion. Think of it. You put a 50 caliber hole into an elk you don't need much expansion. Some is good.Too much limits penetration.

There are other bullets out there that require a fitting kit to find which diameter bullet fits your barrel, but a tight fitting bullet is not conducive to fast reloads should they be needed.I am sure others will extoll their virtues though.

One thing I might recommend is to put a scope on your rifle while working up loads to take out the guess work of iron or FO sights.Of course remove it check your zero with the open sights for hunting in Colorado

[Fridaythe13th]

That's awesome saddle, thank you

[Old school]

I shoot the BH209 powder and love it. I've got an CVA Accura V2 and shoot saboted Barnes bullets out of it. As you already have stated, no sabots in Colorado, so your choices are narrowed down some. I bought my sabots/bullets from a muzzleloader shop and I asked their expert about if I drew Colorado, what to do since I liked the Barnes bullets. He said you could order the .50 cal bullet and for me to get with him whenever I wanted to go that route. If you're interested in that, I can get you his contact info. I think it was a muzzleloading forum where I found his info and everyone there spoke very highly of him - frontier muzzleloading if I remember correctly where I got his info.

--Mitch